Napaaga ang Oblation Run sa UP Diliman kahapon. Napatakbo ang mga taga-APO fraternity dahil sa mga sinabi ni Raul Gonzalez. Bad trip siya sa mga taga-UP dahil rally raw nang rally. Nilalabanan daw ng mga taga-UP ang estadong nagpapaaral sa kanila.

Ang sagot ng kapwa UP alumnus na si Markku, “the GMA administration is definitely not the state.”

Pero aliw lang, parang anlaki ng rally kasabay ng oblation run kahapon. Inabot raw ng 1,000 ang sumali. Hmmm, bakit kaya? (more…)

Google’s Quote of the Day:

“Don’t gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold.”

– Bob Marley

Limang taon na ang nakalilipas, ilang kabataang beterano ng People Power 2–ang rebolusyong powered by text sa Pilipinas–ang nagsamasama upang labanan ang pagbabawas ng free text ng mga kumpanyang Smart at Globe. Nabuo ang TXTPower, at mula noo’y patuloy itong nakibaka para isulong karapatan ng Pinoy texters.

Bukod sa free text reduction, hinarap din ng TXTPower ang tax sa text. Noong isang taon, nakilala ito maging sa ibang bansa dahil sa “Hello Garci” ring tone.

Ngayong taon, nilalabanan naman ng TXTPower ang panukalang sapilitang pagpaparehistro ng cellphone at SIM cards. Kaisa ba kayo ng TXTPower sa usaping ito?

Maki-text na sa www.txtpower.org.

(Published on Page A11 of the August 24, 2006 issue of the Philippine Daily Inquirer)

I MAY NOT appear to be really religious, but I grew up close to the Catholic Church, its people, structures and basic teachings.

My mother served the Church for many years until she perished in a sea accident 11 years ago. Even after Mama’s death, catechists in our town still see me as the only son of their beloved Sister Evelyn, who used to happily visit even remote island villages to teach catechism. Until now, Nanay Diding, my dear grandmother, is always a welcome visitor at our parish office not only because she regularly offers Masses but also because she is Sister Evelyn’s mother.

Priests and nuns were — and still are — among our family friends. A former bishop of the Diocese of Marinduque used to visit our humble house. Tatay Andoy, my late grandfather who had the picture of the great Pope John Paul II on display on his altar, had a distant cousin who became our parish priest. And when I was a young boy, dear Sister Paula of the Missionary Catechists of Saint Therese gave me a second-hand stuffed toy that I cherished so much. (more…)